


there's only one place they call me one of their own

by spiritsontheroof



Series: Phoenix Family Adventures [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Jack Dalton Loves Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), M/M, Russ is a good guy, Team as Family, coming home, everyone is happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:41:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24118963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritsontheroof/pseuds/spiritsontheroof
Summary: Russ is out of place amidst the happiness that erupts in the war room when Matty announces that Jack’s mission has been completed.
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Desiree "Desi" Nguyen, Jack Dalton & Matilda "Matty" Webber (MacGyver TV 2016), Jack Dalton & Russ Taylor, Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016) & Riley Davis, Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Russ Taylor & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: Phoenix Family Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740283
Comments: 13
Kudos: 124





	there's only one place they call me one of their own

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! this is the first installment in my Phoenix Family Adventures series!  
> hope you guys enjoy!  
> also thank you to @fluff-to-kitten on tumblr for all the many ideas to come and for being my sounding board!  
> speaking of tumblr, come see me @spiritsontheroof

Russ is out of place amidst the happiness that erupts in the war room when Matty announces that Jack’s mission has been completed. He feels like he’s invading a private moment when Mac and Riley collapse into each other’s arms, tears in their eyes as they hold on. He’s happy that they’re so happy, Russ has never seen them all smile so hard in his tenure at the Phoenix, but he still feels as though this isn’t something he should be a part of. 

Despite this feeling, Russ sends Riley and Desi out with a smile and the pin number to his credit card and tells them to buy all the decorations they’d like for Jack’s coming home festivities. They’re practically giddy as they walk out of the Phoenix, talking a million miles a minute about everything they’re going to need, and Mac is staring at him with a look Russ doesn’t ever think Mac has directed at him before. Appreciation. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Mac says, “You don’t know Jack.”

“I don’t need to know the man to know he deserves the best welcoming we can offer him,” Russ points out, offering Mac a smile. 

Mac mulls that over and then he smiles, too, wider and brighter than Russ has ever seen. “You’re right, he does. Thank you.” 

“You’re quite welcome, Angus.”

\--

Desi and Riley don’t go nearly as wild as Russ expects, but there is still an obscene amount of balloons and streamers, a cake, lights, and a huge banner that reads, “Welcome Home, Jack.”

They go over to Mac’s the next day to decorate and Russ is helping Riley wrap lights around the wooden posts outside, when Riley says, “We’re finally gonna have the team back together again.” 

Russ nods and looks over at her to find her wearing the same smile she’s been wearing since she found out Jack was coming home. “Yes, you will.”

“You’re really going to like Jack. He’s… a lot at first, but he’s the best man I’ve ever known. He’s been like a father to me ever since I was a little girl.” Riley says and her tone is so fond that Russ can’t help but grin at her. He didn’t know Riley had known Jack when she was a little girl, but it makes sense as to her reaction to finding out he was coming back. 

“I can’t wait to meet him.”

\--

Jack comes home the next day, and it’s a mess of hugs and waterworks and people talking over each other just to get a minute to talk with Jack one on one. Jack cries when he hugs Riley, picks her up and swings her around like she’s, well, his daughter. It’s a sweet interaction, puts a tear in Russ’ eye, so he turns and goes into the kitchen to make sure everything is set up the way Riley and Mac want it. 

Russ spends his evening in the background, watching his newly found family interact with the part of theirs that has been missing for so long. He observes the way they interact with Jack. Jack and Matty have a relationship like old friends, built on teasing and love founded through trust. He and Desi are like father and daughter, similar to the relationship Jack shares with Riley. When Russ observes Mac and Jack, he expects a brotherly love - they were brothers in arms, after all - but he finds it’s something entirely different than that. They share too many longing looks, lingering touches, stand too close for too long. Russ realizes later on during the evening, that they’re in love. He also realizes that the only two people who don’t seem to realize it are the people who are in love.

You have to be blind to miss it, that’s how obvious it is. But it seems that no one talks about it, it’s just a given thing. The sky is blue, Matilda Webber is terrifying, Angus MacGyver and Jack Dalton are in love. It’s something, their dynamic, and Mac is happier than Russ ever knew the boy could be. It’s like Jack coming home fixed something within Mac, lifted the weight of these past few years off his young shoulders, did the thing Russ has been trying to do since he met Angus. 

Jack coming home healed Mac. 

\--

Russ is cleaning up the kitchen as everyone files out, trying to save Mac some work, exhaustion from the last two days evident in the dark circles under his eyes -  _ Maybe now he’ll sleep, _ Russ thinks - when Jack comes in. 

“Hey, man. I just wanted to introduce myself. Mac says you own the Phoenix now.” Jack says and  _ wow,  _ Russ has never heard an accent like that in Southern California. 

“Yes, that would be me,” Russ says and steps around the counter to shake Jack’s hand. “Russ Taylor, lovely to meet you. Mac has told me so much about you.” 

Jack takes Russ’ offering and shakes his hand with a firm grip, smile breaking out on his face. “Nice to meet you, man.” 

Russ releases their grip and goes back to cleaning. “I trust you enjoyed your party? They worked quite hard, everything had to be perfect.” He says fondly, remembering Riley and Mac’s argument over whether his banner was straight or not. 

“I did, yeah. Mac says you paid for the whole shindig, so thank you.” Jack says and rubs the back of his neck like he isn’t quite sure the words are enough. 

The words are more than enough. Hell, watching his team be so happy, so obviously whole again, was enough to make any amount of money worth it. The team may not think so, but Russ cares deeply about them. He only wants the best for them, he only wants to see them happy, healthy, cared for, which is why he pushes so hard for them to rest, relax, and why Russ takes so much of the load upon himself.

“ No, please. My pleasure.” Russ says and he means it. A man who has given up so much for his country deserves more than Russ could ever offer. 

Jack nods and leans against the counter, and Russ can see that he’s searching for the right words to say something. After a few minutes, he clears his throat and stands up straighter. “Matty told me you’ve been looking after Mac. Trying to make him rest, eat, not work himself to death. She told me you were there when his father passed.” 

“I see a lot of myself in him. I wanted to be what I never had.” Russ says, finding it odd how easy it is to be open with the other man. 

Jack sits down on one of the island stools. “I know he’s stubborn. And I know he probably didn’t make it easy to look after him, and I want you to know that I really appreciate it. Don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him.” 

Russ looks out to the deck where Mac is sitting at the fire, lost in his own thoughts but smiling softly. “Not sure what any of us would do.” He chuckles and continues clearing the counter. 

Jack finds Mac outside with his eyes and chuckles because Mac is slumped over, nearly asleep. “Looks like it’s time to put our boy to bed.” He stands up, and then says, “Hey, thank you again, man.”

Russ finishes up his task and waves Jack off. “It’s no problem, really. I was glad to.” He smiles and Jack nods at him. “Tell Angus goodbye for me. I’ll see you both at work soon, I’m sure.”

“Absolutely. See you then.” Jack confirms and then he’s out the back door. Russ gathers his things and starts towards the front door, but he can’t help watching Jack gather Mac up and bring him inside, Mac protesting the whole way. Russ chuckles and shakes his head as he leaves, door clicking shut behind him. 

He makes a note to ask Matty how long those two have been pretending to just be friends. 

**Author's Note:**

> let me know if you guys enjoyed!


End file.
